Pronoun Usage in English: Who or That for People

In English, the choice between using who and that to refer to people can sometimes be confusing for non-native speakers. Most native English speakers prefer who over that when referring to people in a sentence. This article aims to clarify the correct usage and provide examples to help you understand this grammatical rule better.

Correct Usage of "Who" When Referring to People

In the following examples, you can see that who is correctly used to refer to the man:

The man who sells apples also sells oranges. The man who lives next door is a good neighbour. The man who mows my lawn is a part-time waiter.

It is important to note that when the sentence is about a person, you should use who instead of that. For example:

```

The man that sells apples also sells oranges.

```

Using a that in this context is incorrect. The correct version is:

```

The man who sells apples also sells oranges.

```

Quora Prompt Analysis

A Quora prompt on this topic noted that the that in the sentence should be replaced with who because who is the appropriate pronoun for people. The prompt also mentioned that capitalization is not necessary for the fruit names, unless the sentences are strong statements that begin with the words:

```

The woman who sells apples also sells oranges.

```

Here, the sentence is a declarative statement, so the pronoun who is correct and the fruit names should not be capitalized.

Common Misconceptions

Some common misconceptions about using who and that might confuse even native speakers. Here are a few examples to illustrate these potential mistakes:

Incorrect: The woman who sells apples also sell oranges

Correct: The woman who sells apples also sells oranges. (Ensure the verb matches the subject)

Incorrect: The man that sells apples also sells oranges

Correct: The man who sells apples also sells oranges. (Use who when referring to people)

Incorrect: The woman who sells Apples also sells Oranges

Correct: The woman who sells apples also sells oranges. (Keep fruit names in lowercase unless they are proper nouns or brand names)

Conclusion

To summarize, when referring to people in a sentence, use who instead of that. Additionally, make sure that verb tense and capitalization are correct. By adhering to these rules, you can significantly improve the clarity and correctness of your English writing.

For more information on similar grammatical topics, please see Sarah Madden's detailed answers on this subject.